242 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAiThORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



down the size of the corolla of the larger-flowered species with 

 which it may be crossed, whether it be used as the male or 

 female parent, to some approximation to its own in the offspring. 

 Mr. Veitch has thus obtained a series called the " Multicolor 

 section," with corollas intermediate in size beween the larger and 

 smaller species. 



In several crosses described it will be seen how even the tube 

 and the limb may each have its own particular influence respec- 

 tively on the offspring. Again, if two forms, having about equal- 

 sized corollas, be crossed, the result may be a flower in every 

 way larger than that of either parent. In a few cases the number 

 of lobes seems to be permanently increased (see p. 271). 



Hence from the results obtained from the Rhododendrons in 

 question, it would appear that no precise rules as to the trans- 

 mission of floral characters can be laid down. Special influences 

 may, however, be discovered by experiment, and certain pecu- 

 liarities of any particular species of form ascertained ; so that 

 the florist can 'then readily see whether it is worth while proceed- 

 ing along certain special lines. 



With regard to foliage the same uncertainty prevails. The 

 leaf of the offspring of a hybrid or a cross may resemble either 

 parent entirely, mainly, or in part only, or not at all.* The four 

 points to be noticed are length, breadth, apex, and base of the 

 blade. f Each of these may affect the offspring together, or 

 independently of one another. Again, an ancestral character 

 may reappear, as e.g. the truncated base of the leaf of the species 

 B. jasminiflorum reappears in certain offspring, .both of whose 

 parents may have had blades attenuated at the base. Lastly, of 

 two plants raised from seeds out of the same pod, one may 

 resemble one parent, the other the other parent. 



The general dimensions of the leaf may be reduced or not. 

 All one can say is that such or such features are prepotent or 

 not, as the case may be ; but it does not appear possible to say 

 why they are so. 



Fertilisation. 

 With regard to the question of degrees of sterility or fertility 



* Of about twenty crosses taken at random, about half appeared to bear 

 a stronger resemblance to either parent respectively. 



f As the margin is " entire " in all the species, no incisions of any kind 

 occurred. 



